UF Innovate | Accelerate: A New Name for UF’s Incubation Services
The University of Florida’s incubation services program has a new name – UF Innovate | Accelerate – to better unify its world-class business incubators, Sid Martin Biotech and The Hub, under one best-in-class program.
“Acceleration is at the core of what we do,” said Karl LaPan, director of Accelerate. “It is our intent to support our clients, throughout their entrepreneurial journey, with the proven business-building resources to increase their likelihood of success and to accelerate their venture growth and development.”
Inspired by customer-centric organizations such as Walt Disney and Apple, LaPan wants to use the unified brand of Accelerate to create a seamless entrepreneurial journey for clients across the facilities.
“We have continued to see strong demand for our entrepreneurial services and increased interest in leveraging the program offerings across our facilities,” LaPan said. “Through our new name – UF Innovate | Accelerate – we will eliminate friction points for entrepreneurs and make it easier for business builders to access our award-winning program and world-class facilities.”
Sid Martin, named the world’s top incubator in 2020, incubates biotech startups at its location in Alachua. The Hub is located in the Gainesville Innovation District between campus and downtown Gainesville. Both The Hub and Sid Martin Biotech foster an innovation ecosystem that nurtures startups and emerging growth with the resources and expertise they need to thrive, thereby creating jobs and economic prosperity.
In 2018, UF Innovate became the name for the commercialization arm of the University of Florida. It is the umbrella organization over Tech Licensing, Ventures, Accelerate, and the new Pathways program. Accelerate is the umbrella organization over Sid Martin Biotech and The Hub – and any additional facilities that join the Innovate family.
“Through a one-stop-shop, the front door to UF Innovate’s entrepreneurial place-making enterprise serves to meet the needs of any interested and motivated business builders whether they need our world-class biotech center in the City of Alachua or our mixed-use incubator in Gainesville,” said LaPan.
One of the first biotech business incubators in the United States, Sid Martin Biotech opened in 1995 as the Sid Martin Biotechnology Development Institute. The Hub opened 10 years ago then doubled in size in 2018. Their mission, UF Innovate | Accelerate’s mission, is simple: To inspire entrepreneurs to create, change, and cure for a better world. The unified Accelerate intends to drive a dynamic and relevant entrepreneurial ecosystem within UF Innovate and in the broader regional community.
“Our new name UF Innovate | Accelerate reflects our brand promise – to give the entrepreneur back time and money in the business building process by making things faster and simpler.”
About UF Innovate | Accelerate
UF Innovate | Accelerate is the overarching entrepreneurship support program that includes Sid Martin Biotech, the globally recognized biotechnology incubator headquartered in Alachua, Florida, at Progress Park, and The Hub, the award-winning mixed-used incubator in the Gainesville, Florida, Innovation District. The incubation facilities have received nine national and international awards for incubator excellence and achievements in technology commercialization, funding access, job creation, and technology-based economic development. UF Innovate | Accelerate is dedicated to mentoring and accelerating the growth of innovative early-stage bioscience and technology companies and supporting the economic growth of the North Central Florida region. For more information, visit UF Innovate.
UF Innovate Contact:
UF Innovate | Accelerate
Karl R. LaPan
Director
klapan@ufl.edu
https://innovate.research.ufl.edu/accelerate